The real cost of a free lunch – Week in security with Tony Anscombe

Chances are good that you have, at some point, searched for free stuff online, including software, movies, TV shows, or live streams of sports matches. But the truth is that this search for "free" may ultimately come at a high cost, especially if it involves the promise of effortlessly downloading a free version of what's actually a commercial product or service. Much the same applies to links you may receive in messages from a “friend” on a social media site and that also promises such a “free lunch”.

Here's what to do instead of visiting such sketchy websites and how you can make sure you download the real thing and avoid nasty surprises.